Saturday, May 19, 2007

Wogen visits petition-signing, tells women ‘Apology was meant for you'

http://www.daily-chronicle.com/articles/2007/05/06/news/news01.txt

Wogen visits petition-signing, tells women ‘Apology was meant for you' By Aracely Hernandez - Staff Writer

DeKALB - A group gathering signatures on a petition asking for an alderman-elect's resignation got a visit from him Saturday afternoon.

Victor Wogen - who last month beat out three-term incumbent Steve Kapitan for the right to represent the 3rd Ward - stopped by the parking lot at Lincoln Highway and Fourth Street where members of Citizens for Victor Wogen's Resignation had set up shop.

Wogen thanked Sarah Corrigan and Christine Kahle, who have spearheaded the petition, for their involvement in the 3rd Ward.

“That apology was meant for you,” he said, referring to a public apology he made Friday during an interview on local radio station WLBK.

Some 3rd Ward residents are asking for Wogen's resignation because he first denied, then later acknowledged, that he had a role in a controversial flier that hit mailboxes the day before the April 17 election. The flier, by the anonymous group Citizens for a Better 3rd Ward, used two Web sites as sources in characterizing Kapitan as the “go to guy in DeKalb” for socialists and “extremely pro-gay.”

Kahle said Wogen told her before the election that he had “nothing to do” with the flier, when in fact he put postage on copies of the flier. Kahle said Wogen later revised that to mean he had nothing to do with the production of the flier.

Similarly, Wogen initially told the Chronicle he had nothing to do with the flier. However, after being confronted with a report from a postal employee who saw him bring copies of the mailer to the post office, Wogen later acknowledged he added postage to them.

On Saturday, Wogen said he was no longer talking to the Chronicle because the newspaper has misquoted him.

Across the street from Kahle and Corrigan, Wogen's daughter Tessa and two of her friends were wearing “I support Victor Wogen” T-shirts.

Wogen said he had learned from the experience to be clearer when he says things.

Just before Wogen's visit, Kahle said it would ideal for Wogen to resign. Wogen has said he won't.

“We just want him to understand that he did his constituents wrong,” Corrigan said.

Kahle said that eventually the group will work with Wogen to make the 3rd Ward a better place.

“We'll work in conjunction with him, not necessarily with him,” she said.

“We're not going to be fighting him for four years,” Corrigan said.

But she said the group would continue to collect signatures. People can sign the petition online at citizensforwogenresignation.com.

Kahle and Corrigan said they have collected 100 signatures, including those online.

Kahle's husband, Mark, said about 10 petition forms have been downloaded from the Web site in the last few days.

Aracely Hernandez can be reached at ahernandez@daily-chronicle.com.

No comments: